More on Libya's decision to abandon Arab unity

The Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi on Tuesday said that his country's affiliation to the Arab world has " damaged " his country and described the Arab unity as "Mirage."

In an interview with the al-Jazira space station of Qatar Gaddafi defended his African affiliation, noting that " Arab unity is a mirage." He added that "we have tried for forty years behind a mirage and the Arab nationalism is not existed." He added that "belonging to the Arab homeland did no good to Libya, rather damaged it."

He indicated that ties between the Arab and Libya are "just emotions, count for nothing, rather harmful for Libya." He continued that the measures taken by Libya are not spontaneous, it is rather a result of a long experience. "I am convinced of this measures and we have decided not to follow the Arab failure."

He added that the Arab states had not enough courage to violate the UN embargo imposed on Libya since 1992 for refusing to cooperate with the British and US juridical system in Lockerbie incident. He expressed regret that the " Arab states consider surrender as bravery and defeat a victory and the foe as a friend."